Southern Illinois University and other state universities would finally get state support and potentially scale back program cuts and layoffs thanks to legislation State Senator Bill Haine (D-Alton) supported Thursday in the Illinois Senate.

During a committee hearing last week at the Capitol, officials from Gov. Bruce Rauner’s office and Senate Republicans defended their plan to skip pension payments to make the governor’s budget appear balanced.

The GOP pension-skipping idea comes despite the fact that similar action going back almost 100 years is largely responsible for the state's nearly $100 billion pension debt. Senate President John Cullerton advised Rauner's budget officials and Republican colleagues not to pursue skipping pension payments.

This plan is unacceptable. This is yet another bad idea from an irresponsible governor. Skipping pension payments is not an option, and it is certainly not a plan I support.

I encourage you to contact the governor and let your voice be heard. Tell him to protect your pensions.

SPRINGFIELD - Randy Dunn, president of the Southern Illinois University system, discussed a grim outlook for the university today in the Senate Appropriation Committee. State Senator Bill Haine (D-Alton) released the following statement:

We cannot continue down this path. SIU has been a priority of mine for years, and it has proven to be an irreplaceable benefit to the Metro East and Illinois as a flagship university.

SIU in Edwardsville attracts students from Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas and other states throughout the Midwest. To destroy this great university would be ridiculous and disgraceful. I will fight these cuts with every means available. Any ‘pro-growth’ agenda must maintain a commitment to the Illinois system of higher education, which has been one of the finest systems in the United States.

These huge cuts are economically harmful to the Metro East and the state of Illinois as well as harm the future of our young citizens who attend them.

The Illinois Senate voted to override Governor Bruce Rauner’s veto of SB2043 on Wednesday. The legislation would give the governor the spending authority to honor his administration’s commitments to the student financial aid program known as the Monetary Award Program.

State Senator Bill Haine (D-Alton) released the following statement:

“I am happy to see that my colleagues in the Senate see MAP grant funding as important as I do,” said Haine. “Making sure MAP grant funding is a priority is making sure our students’ futures are a priority. I hope the legislation receives the same support in the House.”